2025-04-03 04:30 AM - last edited on 2025-04-03 04:44 AM by Barry Kelly
Hi,
I am doing a small project in imperial units. All the project settings have been changed to imperial yet when I insert the default scale bar from the Object Tool I always get a metric scale bar.
The view has been saved out with all the imperial settings yet I still get a metric scale. Really quite annoying.
Anyone know what I'm doing wrong here? Sample screenshot included..
Operating system used: Windows 11
2025-04-03 04:52 AM - edited 2025-04-03 05:09 AM
That is an object, you will most likely have to manually tell it that you are using imperial units. Also, given this question is about an object, you should probably provide the name of said object as well as the library localisation / libpack you are using.
Ling.
ps. If that is the standard 28 Scale object, it does not seem to include anything for imperial conversion...
pss. You could possibly use my scale bar with a 2.54 Scale Unit
| AC22-29 AUS 3200 | Help Those Help You - Add a Signature |
| Self-taught, bend it till it breaks | Creating a Thread |
| Win11 | i9 10850K | 64GB | RX6600 | Win11 | 5900X | 32GB | GTX2080TI |
2025-04-03 05:08 AM - last edited on 2025-04-03 05:43 AM by Barry Kelly
Have you ever used the default scale bar included in AC before? I have, and this is the first time it has come in as a metric scale and not an imperial scale on an imperial drawing. There is no such setting to 'manually tell it you are using imperial units'. It normally comes in automatically based on the units the drawing is set up for. Hence my question.
For reference, see attached screenshot for the 'location'.
2025-04-03 05:14 AM - edited 2025-04-03 05:20 AM
Nope, I have not used it as it's representation never did not suit my needs so I made my own. I looked at it after I posted, and it does not look to be dynamic, nor is there a setting to adjust it.
Have tried loading the Annotation USA libpack, if you are not already using it? Actually, that does not contain anything relevant...
this is the first time it has come in as a metric scale and not an imperial scale on an imperial drawing
In AC28? Wonder how it does that since the code does not seem to contain anything to do with scaling or detecting the dimension style...
Ling.
| AC22-29 AUS 3200 | Help Those Help You - Add a Signature |
| Self-taught, bend it till it breaks | Creating a Thread |
| Win11 | i9 10850K | 64GB | RX6600 | Win11 | 5900X | 32GB | GTX2080TI |
2025-04-03 05:32 AM
I understand the frustration. Normally it works just fine and adjusts automatically based on the files' units that have been set up. Now, for some frustrating reason it just defaults to metric every single time. Very annoying.
Thursday
I am having the same issue with this object in A28. @Lingwisyer were you able to resolve somehow?
Thursday
As I said before, I do not use it, so I have not looked into it further. Maybe @Mik001 has found a resolution?
| AC22-29 AUS 3200 | Help Those Help You - Add a Signature |
| Self-taught, bend it till it breaks | Creating a Thread |
| Win11 | i9 10850K | 64GB | RX6600 | Win11 | 5900X | 32GB | GTX2080TI |
Thursday
It is possible to code to detect the units being used for dimensions set in Project Preferences
n = REQUEST("LINEAR_DIMENSION", "", format_string)
if you the add this to a simple object, then add;
text 0,0, format_string
then a basic object can detect the format of dimensions i.e.
or for metric
using this principle you can get the object to select the correct style of Scale Bar
if STRSTR(format_string,”f”) > 0 then
!!! draw “Imperial Scale Bar”
endif
if STRSTR(format_string,”m”) > 0 then
!!!draw “Metric Scale Bar”
Endif
The Key problem is with the new libraries in Archicad 28/29 you will find Metric elements like the "Scale Bar" creeping in and replacing Imperial versions from the US library.
Graphisoft needs an option for a universal Scale Bar object to combine these with a setting like,
Unit;
Automatic
meter
decimeter
centimeter
millimeter
feet & fractional inches
feet & decimal inches
fractional inches
decimal inches
to match the dropdowns in the dimension settings;
From the GDL Manual;
format_string: "%[0 or more flags][field_width][.precision] conv_spec"
flags: (for m, mm, cm, dm, e, df, di, sqm, sqcm, sqf, sqi, dd, gr, rad, **beep**, l, cucm, cumm, cuf, cui, cuy, gal):
(none): right justify (default),
-: left justify,
+: explicit plus sign,
(space): in place of a + sign,
'*0': extra accuracy Off (default),
'*1': extra accuracy .5,
'*2': extra accuracy .25,
'*3': extra accuracy .1,
'*4': extra accuracy .01,
'*5': rounding to .5 within displayed decimal range, no returned extra accuracy string, (used for area calculations),
'*6': rounding to .25 within displayed decimal range, no returned extra accuracy string, (used for area calculations),
'*7': fills the fractional part of numeric_expression into the extra_accuracy_string in case of fi or ffi, while the returned expression of
the function does not contain the fractional parts,
'#': don’t display 0s (for m, mm, cm, dm, ffi, fdi, fi, df, di, sqm, sqcm, sqf, sqi, dd, fr, rad, **beep**, l, cucm, cumm, cuf, cui, cuy, gal),
'0': display 0 inches (for ffi, fdi, fi),
'~': hide 0 decimals (effective only if the '#' flag is not specified) (for m, mm, cm, dm, fdi, df, di, sqm, sqcm, sqf, sqi, dd, fr, rad, **beep**,
l, cucm, cumm, cuf, cui, cuy, gal),
'^': do not change decimal separator and digit grouping characters (if not specified, these characters will be replaced as set in the current
system).
'[1*j1+2*j2+4*j3]': display 0 inches before fractions, effective if the '0' flag is not specified (for ffi, fdi, fi)
j1: display 0 inches before fractions (0 3/4"), effective when value is smaller than 1 foot and not displaying 0 foot (the '#' flag is specified)
j2: display 0 whole inches after feet (1'-0"), effective when value is at least 1 foot
j3: display 0 inches before fractions (1'-0 3/4"), effective when value is at least 1 foot
Thursday - last edited Thursday
@Mik001 If I remember correctly you need to download and load the USA Archicad Legacy Objects library (second item on the list of the left menu):
https://www.graphisoft.com/en-us/downloads/?section=monolith-template-and-library&localization=USA
Thursday
I eventually got fed up and exploded the metric scale bar and manually made an imperial one from there. I'd love to turn it into a parametric object so I can just reload it into future projects, but I'm not smart enough for that!